


Today (Lean on Me)

by starjay



Series: When you love someone [1]
Category: Day6 (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angst with a Happy Ending, Domestic Violence, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Underage Drinking, Light Angst, M/M, bc youngwoon are too cute, dowoon's dad is a homophobic asshole, everyday6 inspired, in the fic not irl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-30
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2019-02-23 07:27:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13185213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starjay/pseuds/starjay
Summary: In which Younghyun puts on a mask for the world, Dowoon runs away from his feelings, and chicken little comes to the rescue.aka that youngwoon high school au i DIDN'T ASK FOR, BLUE





	Today (Lean on Me)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [blueyouthheaven](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueyouthheaven/gifts).



> I really didn't expect to finish this on time but happy birthday, [blue](http://archiveofourown.org/users/blueyouthheaven)!! (aka, the best person in the world ;D)
> 
> Huge thanks to Kiki for proofreading this for me on a short notice! And to everyone reading this, I hope you're as trash for youngwoon as blue and I are ♥

“Since you obviously know the lesson already, Yoon, why don’t you answer the next question for us?” Ms. Jang’s voice dripped with sarcasm, shaking him from his daydream.

Without glancing at his notebook, Dowoon went to the blackboard and drew a diagram illustrating cellular respiration, putting the chalk down with force before returning to his seat. He didn’t have to check to know he had gotten the diagram correct, having studied it the previous week on his own.

Since Dowoon’s mother left him with his father without explanation, he’d thrown himself into his studies partly to distract himself from the pain and betrayal, but also because his father had become bitter and strict with his only son. Although he talked little at school and cut himself off from his previous friends from middle school, Dowoon made sure to excel in his classes, earning him the title of ‘mysterious model student’.

His class cheered, mostly swooning girls but also some of the guys who hated their science teacher as well. Dowoon folded his arms on his desk and rested his head on them again, turning up the music in his earphones to tune them out. As if upset she couldn’t catch him off guard, Ms. Jang proceeded to the following question in search of her next victim.

The bell finally rang to signal the end of the day, but Ms. Jang held her hands up for attention. “Wait! Before you leave, I have one more thing to tell you guys.”

The students grumbled, but settled back into their seats impatiently. Dowoon pulled a single earbud out to listen.

“There will be a science lab next Monday, and yes, I chose your partners.” More complaints. “I’ll read the pairs out now, so get in touch with them, socialize a bit, whatever you kids these days do.”

She began reading off her list, and various groans and cheers could be heard as people learned who their partner was. The classroom was starting to empty, with students bolting as soon as they heard their names being called.

“Yoon Dowoon and Kang Younghyun.”

Dowoon internally slammed his head against the table. He didn’t particularly disliked Younghyun, or _Young K_ as he liked to be called, the classic bad boy rebel type who always broke the dress code and sat at the back of the class with his feet propped on his desk. He’d seen the other boy with his friends a few times and found he was actually somewhat likable with them. No, it wasn’t his personality that was the problem. It was that Kang Younghyun didn’t give two shits about anything school related, and Dowoon’s grade might suffer because of it.

He accepted his fate of having to complete the lab by himself, then gathered his books to perhaps get his classmate’s number. Before he could move, however, a sticky note was placed on his desk.

“You’re Yoon Dowoon, yeah?” Younghyun had approached him without his notice, wearing a leather jacket over his school uniform and the most infuriatingly cocky grin on his face. “Call me.”

With a wink, he disappeared from the classroom like everyone else, and Dowoon rolled his eyes at how brazen Younghyun had been. Still, he tucked the sticky note in his books carefully, making a mental note to add him to his contacts.

~

Dowoon did end up messaging Younghyun, in the form of a text asking him if he’d done the pre-lab reading.

 **kang younghyun:** ofc i did  
**kang younghyun:** who do u take me for

He sighed, thinking that it was exactly because he took him as Kang Younghyun that he worried the other boy wouldn’t even do that much. Dowoon refrained from spilling his thoughts, though, instead sending a simple reply.

 **yoon dowoon:** ok good

They didn’t talk after that, and Dowoon barely returned Younghyun’s ‘hey’ when they walked into the science lab on Monday.

“Hey, are you actually mute or are you just always this quiet? I don’t think I’ve ever heard you talk,” Younghyun commented as he tied his lab apron, watching Dowoon set up the materials and readying his notebook. A glare from his direction prevented further observations to be made about his lack of speech.

“Hmm, combine the yeast with warm water and granulated sugar in a ziplock bag and mix gently,” Dowoon mumbled to himself as he read the instructions aloud. Younghyun paused in his action of putting a plastic bag around a potted plant to stare, as if actually amazed.

“Huh, you _can_ talk.”

“I just don’t see the point in wasting my breath on other people,” he snapped back, placing their experiment aside to wait for the yeast to grow.

Their lab was supposed to observe cellular respiration in action, but to Dowoon it seemed like a waste of time since the results are obvious and they wouldn’t really be learning anything. He’d prefer simply writing a test on the subject, or an essay, though he knew his classmates would commit manslaughter if he suggested such thing to their teacher.

“What now?” Younghyun asked, returning from placing the plant next to the sunny window. “We wait the entire class?”

“You’re supposed to write down a hypothesis for the experiment, list the materials required and explain the steps of the experiment. You know, what we do for every lab,” Dowoon told him exasperatingly, flipping open his notebook. “Ms. Jang will be taking the notes at the end of class.”

“Oh. My partner always handed them in for labs.”

 _I figured,_ Dowoon thought, fighting back an eye roll in annoyance. _Because they sure as hell wouldn’t trust you to take proper notes._

Sensing that Younghyun wasn’t actually writing anything down (he wasn’t even sure if the other student brought a pencil), Dowoon just swallowed his words and noted his observations on the experiments.

Ms. Jang clapped her hands at the front of the laboratory for attention. “Everyone! Even though you only have to hand in one copy of the notes and answers, make sure both partners are contributing equally! You can have just one person write, but the other person has to give ideas and points as well. It’s not fair to make your partner do all the work!” Dowoon could have sworn he didn’t imagine it when she directed that last part straight at his table.

Suddenly, Dowoon felt Younghyun get uncomfortably close behind him, to the point where they were nearly touching. He could smell cigarette smoke on Younghyun’s leather jacket, though it mixed with his cologne into something that wasn’t entirely unpleasant.

He swatted his partner away. “What the hell? Stop that, that’s creepy.”

Younghyun leaned back, allowing him breathing room again. He crossed his arms, and Dowoon noticed the array of silver rings that decorated his fingers. “You heard her. I’m trying to contribute equally.”

“By breathing down on my neck like a monster in a horror movie?”

He held up his arms in defence. “I was trying to get a better look at your notes. Which are no doubt perfect, mysterious model student.”

Dowoon scowled. “Don’t call me that. Here.” He shoved his notebook into Younghyun’s hands and stepped back, putting as much space between them as possible in their tiny work area.

Younghyun scanned the notes intently, looking serious for once. “Your hypothesis should be more specific than ‘the bags will expand because gas is being exchanged in the cells’. Say why, list the specific reactions taking place. Also, for the plant, the bag doesn’t just expand, water vapour condenses.”

He blinked. Dowoon didn’t actually think Younghyun would add anything, and certainly not give good advice. Before he could take the notebook back, however, the other student flipped to a different page, grinning at what he found. In panic, Dowoon made a grab for his notebook, but Younghyun held it just out of reach, still smiling.

“Dude, you draw?” Younghyun sounded genuinely curious, tone lacking any of his usual taunt.

“Just doodles. Give it back,” Dowoon gritted his teeth and snarled.

“These are really good though? You should totally be a manhwa artist, or something.”

Something bitter twinged in his heart at those words. Sure, Dowoon would love to pursue a career as an artist or drummer some day, but his father had made it very clear that he expected his son to become nothing less than a doctor. A stable job that would bring in fantastic income, but leave him miserable.

“Well, I can’t. Give it back.”

This time, Younghyun handed the notebook back without putting up a fight. He tried to ask Dowoon why he couldn’t pursue the arts, yet Dowoon made it clear that he wouldn’t be forthcoming, and the subject was dropped.

The class ended without much fuss, and the two of them made short work of the revision questions at the back of their lab instructions. Younghyun was really smart when he decided to be, which made Dowoon wonder why he didn’t choose to do so more often.

“Hey,” Younghyun paused just before he left, turning around. “You know, I’ve known you for two years, but we never really talked. You can keep texting me, if you want. I mean, I’m Young K, why wouldn’t you want?” He grinned.

Ah, yes. There was the cocky bad boy again. Dowoon quickly checked that the teacher wasn’t looking before flipping him off. Younghyun’s laugh echoed in the hallways, and he found that he liked hearing that sound.

~

“What is this? I thought I told you to stop drawing and dreaming! Focus on your studies!” _Slap_. The left side of his cheek warmed, tingling from the hit. Dowoon kept his head low, preparing for a second blow.

His father had decided today of all days to check his homework, which meant he saw the doodles he had made in business class earlier the day, bored out of his mind at the teacher’s endless droning. The same drawings that Younghyun had complimented now laid on the floor, torn from his notebook and ripped up. They were crushed under the shoes of his father, who took his notebook and smacked his head.

“Get your head out of the clouds, boy, or you’ll end up a useless bitch like your mother. She couldn’t even take care of you,” he sneered. “This is a warning. Go back to studying. If I get a note from your teacher saying you haven’t been paying attention in class, you’ll regret coming home, understand? I won’t have your grades suffer from this insolent behaviour.”

His father stormed out the room, making sure to make his disappointment loud and clear in the slam of the door. Dowoon waited until the man’s footsteps receded, then quietly made his way to the kitchen to get an ice pack for his face. He didn’t want to explain to his teachers just why he had a bruise on his cheek when he normally did not get into fights at school.

Dowoon had just picked up his pencil to resume solving math problems when his phone lit up. A message from Younghyun inviting him to go partying with his friends. He quickly replied that he couldn’t go, that he had too much homework, then turned off his phone, not wanting to see Younghyun’s reply.

 _You can’t care about anyone_ , he scolded himself, his stinging cheek a reminder of what will happen if his father found out about his secret. A bruised cheek would mean nothing compared to the consequences. _Just study, and he won’t ever have to know._

\- - - - -

Younghyun wordlessly handed a bottle of water over to his friend, who was suffering next to him with his head resting on his drawn knees. The chilly autumn air prevented many students from eating outside during lunch hour, but they always met at the tree at the edge of their grass field, where distance gave them privacy from the other students.

“Why do you always insist on drinking so much when we get into college parties?” Younghyun wondered out loud.

“So I can regret it the very next day when we have school?” Jae replied. “Can't not drink, man. I'm the life of the party.”

“Sure, whatever you say,” Wonpil gave his input as he sat down next to them.

Jae scoffed. “No one asked, Wonpil.”

Their friend smiled back angelically. “I know you always like hearing my voice, though.”

Younghyun tuned their usual bickering out, lamenting his depressing fate of having befriended them. He would have much preferred hanging out with someone who didn't act like an idiot or a love struck fan all the time, and no, he totally did not just describe mysterious model boy.

Knowing that nothing good could possibly come out of that train of thought, he turned his attention towards the last member of his strange friend group. Sungjin wasn't paying attention to the conversation at all, but was instead humming under his breath as he played a few chords on his guitar. He would occasionally nod as he got the melody right, scribbling notes on a scrap piece of paper.

Younghyun shifted to get closer. “Who’s the lucky girl this time?” he teased. Sungjin, although a great friend and sweet guy, was a hopeless romantic who crushed on girls he had no chance with, yet the constant rejection didn't deter him in the slightest bit. Younghyun envied him for having such a positive outlook on life all the time.

“Kyeon Inhye, she always sits by the window. She dropped her bracelet the other day, and I'm trying to give it back. Our schedules never seem to overlap besides class though. I'll have to give it to her when our teacher lets us do group work,” Sungjin explained, gesturing towards the bracelet hanging off the end of his guitar.

Younghyun leaned his head against the tree trunk. “Good luck with that.” He didn't mention how Inhye is probably avoiding Sungjin, for though he vaguely knew her from classroom cleaning duty, she wasn't the type to like country bumpkins like Sungjin. His friend could do much better with someone who actually appreciated him.

“Guys?”

He snapped his eyes towards Jae and Wonpil, who had stopped arguing. “What?”

“I got a new song for us, asked if y’all were free after school today to meet,” Jae informed them. “Dunno if the music room will be free though. And we still need a drummer.”

Younghyun shrugged. “I'm down. I'll go check right now before lunch is over to see if we can use it.”

“Me too,” Sungjin confirmed. “I got something to show you guys as well.”

“Something related to bracelet girl?” Wonpil teased, but his smile didn't reach his eyes. Sungjin’s blush affirmed his statement, and Younghyun could see their keyboardist deflate a little. He decided to escape the situation before someone else caught onto the tension and made things awkward.

“Thanks, Brian!” Jae hollered after him.

“Who’s Brian? My name is Young K!” he called back.

A warm gust of air welcomed him back inside the school, and he walked quickly down the corridor, wanting to make it back before the bell rang so he could beat Jae up for calling him Brian. A day has never went by where he didn’t regret telling his closest friend his English name. The halls emptied gradually as he approached the music room, signifying the room was occupied. Otherwise, band and choir students would usually be scattered around this wing of the school. Younghyun hoped whoever was using the room would let him check the room’s availability.

The muffled sounds of percussion bled through the thin, old walls of his school. Younghyun held his hand up, hesitating to knock and interrupt whoever was playing. He risked a peek through the door’s window.

There was a boy sitting at the drum kit, playing along to whatever song was playing in his earphones with abandon. Younghyun blinked twice, _hard_. That couldn't be Dowoon, who normally showed no emotions other than annoyance, as now his face held nothing but passion for the music he was creating. Although the beat must have been the song’s, the other student was telling a story through the rhythm flowing from his drum sticks.

Dowoon was really, really good at playing the drums. And Younghyun was enraptured.

He didn't know how long he just stood in the hallway like an idiot, but the warning bell was enough to shake him from his reverie. Casting one last look into the room, he left, not wanting to explain why he had been watching Dowoon play like a creep.

It wasn't until he slipped into his seat for Korean literature and Dowoon walked in, indifferent as ever, that he realized he never found out if the music room was free after school or not.

~

Younghyun never thought himself to be a possessive person, but something in him stirred hot and ugly when he noticed Dowoon getting too close to his assignment partner in math.

“Hey, Brian, focus.” Jae snapped his fingers in front of his face, trying to get his attention. “I get that mysterious model student is cute and all, but this problem isn't gonna solve itself.”

“Like all of my problems,” Younghyun muttered under his breath, forcefully tearing his eyes away from the pair in front. Did they have to lean in that close to discuss? Regardless, he did his best to ignore the situation, knowing his feelings were irrational anyway, just like the answer to the question.

Jae grinned at him as they waited for the other students to finish. “Never thought I'd live to see the day bad boy Young K falls in love. And you complain about Sungjin.”

“Shut the fuck up, Jae,” he grumbled.

“What was that, Kang?” Mr. Choi called from the teacher’s desk. A few students snickered. Curse his math teacher’s wolf-like ears.

“I said ‘kindly refrain from talking, Jae’.”

“That's what I thought.”

“So, you gonna do something about it or what?” Jae whispered as soon as Mr. Choi’s attention was diverted.

Younghyun glared. “Asking him out isn't the problem.”

“Oh right, I forgot how confident you actually are. Then what - oh. You don't want him to get to know the real you. Don't give me that face, I know you Brian.” Jae gave his shoulder an encouraging squeeze, but he wasn't feeling particularly encouraged.

Their teacher clapped for attention, forcing them to return to their seats, but the look Jae shot him told him the conversation was far from over.

~

It appeared that Dowoon was full of surprises that day, for after practice (they discovered that the music room was indeed free), Younghyun found him at an Internet cafe, gaming away. Though the cafe was full of other students, mostly those skipping cram school to game before 10pm, the fact that Dowoon was there instead of home studying struck him as odd.

He didn't have any intention to become a stalker, so he took the logical route of leaving the cafe before he was caught instead of staying to say hi. Because priorities.

A loud shout drew his attention right before he left, however, and directed his focus to the cafe owner who was yelling at none other than Yoon Dowoon. Younghyun backtracked so he could hear the words being exchanged.

“...disrupting the others, brat. I told you if you kept hitting the keys so hard I'll give you a taste of what it's like to be the keyboard.”

The owner raised his hand to hit Dowoon, but he was there to intercept the blow. For a split second, he noticed that the other student had actually flinched, as if he was used to being hit, and that angered him for some reason. Younghyun couldn't fathom who would possibly want to hurt him.

“Sir, it is normal for gamers to get heated in the middle of a match. Some customers here are even yelling, I don't think you are being quite fair right now,” he told the owner in a calm manner, but his voice was steel.

The man yanked his hand away. “Eh? You wanna play knight for your friend here? Sure, I'll hit you instead. Kids these days gotta be taught a lesson.”

Younghyun was dragged out of the cafe, and Dowoon did nothing but watch impassively before fleeing the scene. The man took him to an alleyway where he could hit him without being seen, but Younghyun was able to block most of the blows, being a notorious troublemaker who enjoyed picking fights. Even so, a lucky punch knocked the wind out of him, and the owner stomped off red-faced, leaving him to catch his breath next to some trash bags.

He found Dowoon at the convenience store after he gathered enough energy to walk, collapsing into the chair opposite Dowoon’s.

“That man...what did you even do to piss him off?” Younghyun asked.

Dowoon shrugged. “Some people don't need excuses to be assholes. Why did you step in?”

It was Younghyun’s turn to shrug. “I'm not supposed to let the elderly, women, or the weak get hit. You qualify.”

Dowoon squinted at his implications that he was weak. “Whatever. Don't, next time. I can hold my own.”

“That's it? No ‘thank you for saving me I owe you my life’?” Younghyun said incredulously.

“Here.”

Dowoon placed an object in front of him on the table, and it took him a moment to realize it was a hard boiled egg.

He looked at Dowoon, wondering if this was his idea of a joke, but the other student simply stared back.

The lack of emotions made him take the egg and roll it on the forming bruise on his cheek, just to get a reaction from the other boy. It was an old superstition that boiled eggs were supposedly going to suck the bruise out of the skin, and although there was little scientific evidence to back it up, the sentiment was nice.

Dowoon smiled at his actions, just a tiny smile that was quickly extinguished, but Younghyun saw it and cracked a grin of his own. He may not believe in superstitions, but Dowoon’s smile was the cutest thing in the world that took the sting away better than any hard boiled egg could.

\- - - - -

His eyes jerked open at the thump on his desk. Dowoon had another sleepless night after more yelling from his father. He had meant to just rest before class started, but it seemed like he dozed off. His eyes glanced at the clock, which told him there were five more minutes to the bell, before they settled on the object that woke him up.

A cute coffee milk carton was sitting on the edge of his desk, with a little sticky note that said ‘for doing well on the lab’. It was signed with a flourish, but besides that, the note was plain and to the point. Still, it brought a tired smile to his face, even if Younghyun wasn’t even glancing in his direction when he looked behind him.

 _Nope, stop this, Yoon Dowoon_ , he scolded himself. _What happened to not catching feelings? Feelings are bad._

His father’s words from the previous night came back, everything hurtful about “don’t you turn into one of those disgusting queers,” and the pleasant feeling in his chest evaporated, leaving behind a cold, empty cavity.

So Dowoon ignores the carton for the entirety of class, waiting until the bell rang to walk out into the hallway to throw it in the garbage can. When he returned, he could feel Younghyun’s eyes on him, but he ignored that resolutely too. Dowoon heard the other boy make some obnoxious comment to a friend of his, laughing, but he tuned him out before he heard what Younghyun said. Some of the girls near him were scowling, so he was probably back to being an asshole. Good, all the easier for him to hate Younghyun, despite everything his heart told him otherwise.

Dowoon settled back into his seat as the next period begun, slipping on the familiar mask of indifference as he tried to ignore Younghyun’s obnoxious comments, his stupid laugh, his stupid, handsome face -

He groaned silently and buried his face in his hands. He had to get a hold of himself, and quick.

As usual, Dowoon was one of the last students out the door at the end of the day, dreading his return home to his abusive father. That’s why, when he stood up to leave, he was surprised to feel a hand on his shoulder, stopping him from moving.

For a single, ridiculous second, Dowoon’s heart sped up just a little, thinking it was Younghyun. He tried to mask his disappointment with a scowl when he realized it was Park Jaehyung, one of his more laid back classmates that never seemed to be paying attention but always sweet talked his way out of trouble.

“What do you want?” Dowoon mumbled, looking down and scuffing his shoes on the floor. The other student wasn’t put off, and simply gave him a smile that was too large to be natural.

“A couple of my friends and I, we’re a self-made band but we’re missing a drummer. I heard you in the music room the other day, and you were really good, so I was wondering if you wanted to join us?”

Dowoon was taken aback, for this was not what he imagined Jaehyung would ask him. At first, he wanted to decline the offer, angry someone had listened in on his vulnerable moment without letting him know. Yet, if Jaehyung’s band practiced after school, he could use that as an excuse to get home later. Granted, his father would likely get more furious at the thought of him spending time away from studying, but those few extra hours of freedom would be worth it.

“Sure,” he replied, in the same mumbling way. “I’d like to, Jaehyung.”

“Really? Great!” There it was again: that over-the-top enthusiasm. “Our next practice is Thursday after school in the music room, so I’ll look forward to seeing you there!”

With that, the other student pranced out of the classroom, pausing only to throw a “Call me Jae!” over his shoulder before disappearing into the hallway.

Dowoon shook his head at himself, wondering what kind of trouble he had just gotten himself into.

~

He had never backtracked out of a room so fast in his entire life.

Dowoon leaned his head against the wall next to the music room, hoping that none of its occupants had seen him yet. When he accepted Jae’s invitation to check out his band the other day, he was only thinking of how it gave him an excuse to go home late. Of course, he should have known that Jae’s best friend would be at practice, but it hadn’t registered until that moment that Jae’s best friend was Kang Younghyun. Maybe his luck would hold and Younghyun had only dropped by as moral support, and he wasn’t actually a part of the band.

He risked another peek in the room. Younghyun was laughing at something one of his friends said as he plugged a bass guitar into its amplifier. Luck was not on his side today, it seemed.

Dowoon was about to make his strategic retreat when Jae caught sight of him, waving at him to enter.

“Hey! Dowoon! Almost didn’t think you’d show up, man,” Jae said in greeting. Dowoon mumbled something akin to ‘hello’ under his breath, keeping his eyes downcast as he made his way to the drum kit.

“Guys, this is Dowoon, and potentially our new drummer,” Jae introduced him. He looked up and waved hesitantly. “And Dowoon, these are the other losers in this band - Sungjin, our main vocalist and guitarist; the snake - I mean, Wonpil, our keyboardist; Young K, our bassist; and me of course: the magnificent Jae at your service.” He gestured at each person as he talked, finishing his introduction with a flourished bow.

“Uh, hi guys,” Dowoon said, still in a quiet mumble and feeling out of place in this group of friends.

Fortunately, someone else spoke up before an awkward silence could settle. “Nice to meet you, Dowoon,” Sungjin said warmly, smiling at him in a way that put him slightly more at ease. “Why don’t we play some of our pieces for you, and you can freestyle along? There are drum parts actually written for some, but I’d rather hear you play how you think best, first.”

He nodded his agreement, and picked up the drumsticks as the other band members warmed up on their respective instruments.

By the end of practice, Dowoon somehow found himself integrated with the odd group of friends effortlessly. He learned that Jae just really like to be dramatic, and Sungjin was the sweetest band leader ever. Wonpil in particular had done his best to make him feel welcomed, yet didn’t push for him to talk, and Dowoon greatly appreciated the boy’s ability to pick up on everyone’s emotions. Their kindness to him could end up a problem should he become attached, after swearing off caring for people, but in the moment Dowoon allowed himself to feel normal for once.

And anyway, he had a bigger problem. One by the name of Younghyun who was a much nicer person with his friends and made Dowoon fall harder.

He decides to make his getaway before anyone notices he’s fallen silent.

“Hey, guys, it’s getting late. I gotta go. See you guys tomorrow!” he says, getting up from his seat and hoisting his backpack over his shoulder, his various anime charms clashing together.

Jae glanced out the window, as if noticing for the first time that the sky had darkened. He nudged his best friend with more force than necessary as he addressed Dowoon. “Sure, but Brian will walk you back. It’s dangerous to walk alone, this late.”

Dowoon noted with amusement what Jae had called Younghyun. Brian? Was that his English name? He knew vaguely that the other student lived abroad for a few years in the past from casual gossip, yet it never occurred to him that he used a different name overseas. He filed that information away for later use as he tried to get out of his current situation.

“Uh, no, that’s fine. I can walk by myself,” he spluttered, shuffling to the door and looking very determinedly at the ground. He hoped that Jae wouldn’t push the matter anymore, for he could already feel his resolve crumbling.

A loud _smack_ was heard behind him, followed by, “It wouldn’t be any bother at all. Jae’s right, it isn’t safe to walk by yourself at night.”

Dowoon turned around and cursed Jae mentally with all his strength. The guitarist looked quite pleased with himself, while Younghyun had the most uncomfortable smile he’s ever seen on anyone. He met Dowoon’s eyes and shrugged helplessly, like _you heard him_.

“Hey, I’m sorry,” Younghyun said as they left the school, leaving enough space between them to let Dowoon breathe a little easier. “Jae’s like that sometimes, when he gets an idea. Please don’t be mad at me, he would have blackmailed me somehow otherwise.”

Dowoon shrugged, fixing his gaze on the road ahead. “Not mad at you,” he mumbled, before allowing their conversation to lapse into silence.

“I’m sorry for how he acted, anyway. And for whatever I did to make you hate me,” Younghyun spoke again, and this time there was none of the joking tone that was present before. “I genuinely hope we can get along, you know? Since you’re a part of our band now.”

Was he? It was interesting that Younghyun considered him a band member, given that he’s only been to one practice, but he wasn’t about to argue. Instead, he shrugged again. “I don’t hate you.” _Unless you keep being this nice to me, in which case my heart is totally screwed._ He let out a laugh. “Imagine that: the two most popular guys in our grade becoming friends,” Dowoon commented, trying to swallow his feelings.

“Two? There’s only one popular guy between us, if I’m not mistaken,” Younghyun replied playfully.

Dowoon pretended to consider his words for a moment. “You’re right. Bow down to me, peasant,” he said seriously, keeping the facade for all of two seconds before they both break down in laughter.

All too soon, Dowoon saw his house come into view, and his steps falter in dread. Younghyun slows down as well, picking up on his hesitance too well.

“I know it’s hard to part from this perfection, but I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?” Younghyun told him with a wink.

Dowoon scoffed at the joking comment that held too much truth to it. “Yeah, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Suddenly, Younghyun’s standing too close, holding both of his hands under the guise of warming them, yet his attention was directed at Dowoon instead. “If you want to say something, just say it.”

Dowoon took a step back. “W-what are you talking about?” It’s ridiculous how fast the wall he’s built around himself for years comes crumbling down at the slightest action Younghyun takes.

“I’ve had enough girls crush on me in my lifetime to know when someone likes me, Dowoon.” Younghyun finally let go of his hands, leaving him feeling cold. “Alright, if you won’t tell me, I’ll go first. I’ve been in love with you since I saw you play the drums. I’ve never seen anyone play with that much passion before, and I’m in a _band_. You’re not what you want people to believe you are, Yoon Dowoon.”

Dowoon took another step back, his head spinning. “Wait. Hold up. I thought Jae was the one who saw me practicing.”

Younghyun shrugged. “He lied for me. I wasn’t sure if you’d join our band if I was the one who approached you, since I thought you hated me before. And we really did need a drummer.”

“I - ” Dowoon was at a loss for words, his face no doubt flushed with how hot it felt.

“You’re really cute when you blush, you know that?” Younghyun grinned. Who was he to call Dowoon cute, with a blinding smile like that?

A beat of silence passed between them before Younghyun spoke again. “You’re really not going to tell me, huh. That’s alright, I’ll do all the talking then. Go out with me?”

“I - you - go out with you? Like on a date? Like boyfriends?” Dowoon spluttered, flustered, and then mentally hit himself for embarrassing himself.

It just made Younghyun smile wider. “Yeah, like boyfriends. Is that a yes?”

“No - I mean, yes. Yes,” he responded quickly.

“Good. I’ll see you tomorrow then, _babe_.” With an extravagant wink that gave Jae a run for his money, Younghyun kissed him on his forehead and ran back down the street before Dowoon could hit him or spontaneously combust.

The front door to his house slammed loudly as soon as he made it inside, the first blow coming before he could take off his shoes.

“What did I say about getting involved with queers?” his father roared, raising his hand to hit him away. “You never listen, all you do is go behind my back and befriend those disgusting kids I warn you against and don’t study. Are you still drawing too? Messing with the drums I told you not to? Disgusting. If you can’t obey me, you’re not even my son.”

Dowoon stood in the doorway for a while longer, listening to the fading footsteps as his father stormed off in anger. He wiped at his lips, wincing when his fingers came away stained with blood. He had expected this reaction from his father, though he hadn’t anticipated that the man had seen him with Younghyun earlier.

His pocket buzzed with a text from Younghyun, bidding him goodnight. The simple message filled his chest with warmth, and where he would usually go on to hate himself and ignore the world, Dowoon instead replied with a goodnight of his own, smiling when Younghyun sent him a heart emoji in return.

\- - - - -

Jae smacked him with the back of his textbook, shaking Younghyun out of his thoughts.

“Just ignore them. They’re just jealous they couldn’t get you _or_ Dowoon,” he whispered, gesturing at the amount of staring girls passing by their usual lunch spot.

Said boy shot him a grin in thanks and went back to scribbling notes all over the new sheet music he had been given, and Younghyun smiled fondly. It had been two weeks since the two of them began dating officially, though he liked to claim that Dowoon’s heart had been his since the beginning, just to make his boyfriend laugh.

“You’re welcome, by the way,” Jae grumbled, settling back against the tree to strum at his guitar absentmindedly. “When you two get married, don’t forget it was I who got the two of you together. Otherwise you both would’ve kept dancing around each other forever.”

“Thanks, Jae,” Younghyun said sarcastically as Sungjin remarked, “Too bad neither of them can dance as well as me.”

Wonpil looked at him with the most judgemental face Younghyun had seen on him yet. “I, I’m so disgusted I don’t even know what to say.”

Dowoon laughed and swatted his arm. “Hush. Sungjin’s dancing is flawless.”

“Thank you. Finally someone who appreciates me around here.”

“Speaking of being around, you free later?” Jae asked him, saving the conversation from dying out.

“I wish,” Younghyun groaned. “I have a shift right after school. The schedules are all messed up now because of the holidays. You guys go ahead with practice though. I know we have that gig coming up.” He didn’t exactly hate his job, but there were many instances where he would rather be practicing with the band instead of greeting customers with a fake smile at the checkout counter.

~

He hated his job.

It didn’t pay badly, considering how he worked part-time at a convenience store as a student, and his tasks weren’t hard to complete. Even his coworkers were nice to him. He just had a really, _really_ shitty manager, and it was just his luck that he was working with him that day in particular.

“Sir, I swear there isn’t anything wrong with the shipment. I checked the order over when it arrived and organized the boxes already,” Younghyun said, trying his best to suppress his frustration as he calmly showed the shipping list to his manager. Sometimes he wondered if the man threw a fit just to see his employees suffer. A look at the old clock told him he had five more minutes until his shift ended, and he would be working overtime with no extra pay if he had to look over the entire shipment anew.

“Well check it again! You hooligans these days can’t do anything properly. Why, I ought to - ”

“Excuse me! Can you help me for a second?” From behind a shelf, Younghyun saw a high school girl peeking out, and he realized that he vaguely recognized her as Kyeon Inhye, the bracelet girl Sungjin was pining after.

His manager shot him a glare. “You got lucky this time, kid. You’re off the hook for now.” He proceeded to plaster on a smile for Younghyun’s classmate, who grinned at him over his manager’s shoulder as she led him away.

Five minutes later, he exited the convenience store and found the girl waiting for him outside.

“Thanks for earlier,” he told her. “Why are you out so late? You’ll catch a cold.”

“I’m wearing a jacket, it’s fine,” she replied. “And you don’t have to thank me, that guy looked like an asshole. I don’t think we’ve ever met properly. My name is Kyeon Inhye.”

Younghyun shook her offered hand. “Kang Younghyun.”

They started walking down the street, hands in their pockets as their breath made little puffs of white in the air.

“No ‘Young K’? I heard that’s what you like to call yourself,” she spoke up again once the convenience store was out of view.

He laughed. “Didn’t think you knew about that. But feel free to call me Young K, definitely. Where are we going, anyway? It’s getting late, you should go home.”

Inhye rolled her eyes. “Me, and every other girl in our grade. There’s a park right by my house. I go there sometimes to clear my thoughts, or hang out with friends.”

“We’re friends?” Younghyun asked as they continued walking. Although Inhye was one of the few girls who didn’t idolize him or Dowoon, he only knew her from the days it was his turn to stay after school and clean the classroom. Acquaintances, maybe, but he wouldn’t go so far to call them friends. If anything, Sungjin knew her better than he did.

“Well,” her voice dropped lower, like she was telling him a secret. “I’d like for us to be more than friends. But I’ll take what I can get.”

Younghyun’s steps stuttered as he waited for her to laugh it off as a joke. When she didn’t, he spoke up nervously. “I’m flattered, but I have a boyfriend.”

This made Inhye stop in her tracks and spin around to face him. “Who, Dowoon? I’m sure you’re just confused. It’s nice to experiment and all, I’m sure, but what you really need is a nice girl to settle down with.”

He looked at her uncomfortably, pulling on his bad boy persona as subconscious defense. “I don’t think it’s your business who I fuck around with,” he scoffed with a cocky smile.

Inhye frowned with obvious hurt, but he was almost a hundred percent certain she was faking. “Come on now, you and I both know you’re not really like that.” God, this was the girl Sungjin had a crush on? He could do so much better.

Younghyun raked his hair back in equal parts frustration and amusement. “Right, ‘cos you know me so well. If that’s all you’re after, like the other girls, then I guess this is where our conversation ends. Goodnight, Inhye.”

She glanced over his shoulder for a split second like she saw someone, before unexpectedly throwing her arms around him with a sob. “Please, don’t go. I like you. I’ve liked you for a long time. Please go out with me.”

Annoyed, Younghyun shoved her off, only to see a smirk on her face. Turning to see what Inhye saw, he caught sight of a familiar backpack with anime charms attached vanishing around the corner as its owner ran away.

“Dowoon - ” He tried to run after him, only to be stopped by a hand at his wrist. Inhye’s expression could only be described as victorious. “Let me go, you fucking bitch,” he snarled, shaking her free.

“Be my boyfriend,” she challenged. “Your ‘relationship’ will never work out.”

“Just like all of yours, huh,” he spat with venom, and this time, she let him run with an angry look on her face.

\- - - - -

Yoon Dowoon is not a man who sulks. Whenever something bad happens to him, he simply sucks it up, grits his teeth and moves on, as nothing can be done about it.

Or stays up to cry, apparently.

He cursed his sudden ability to feel emotions, mostly. There was a reason for him to not trust people, mainly stemming from the fact that his mother left when he was so young and leaving him at the mercy of his violent father. He cursed Younghyun, too, for effortlessly tearing down his walls after he’s managed to shut people out for all those years, and as a result he was suffering from his bleeding heart.

 _Get a grip_ , he told himself as he muffled his sobs. _Now is not the time to be poetic._

Now was the time to stop crying over something as insignificant as Younghyun leaving him for some girl and sleep, so he could wake up with a sharp mind the following day and not lag behind on his studies. Maybe his father was right, and nothing good could ever happen to people like him. In any case, his father also said on multiple occasions that boys weren’t supposed to cry, that it made them weak, and so now would be a good time to stop before he woke him up.

However, even as the tears stopped, sleep wouldn’t come. Dowoon lied in his bed and counted the glow-in-the-dark stars on his ceiling that he and his mother had put up when he was a child, waiting for exhaustion to overwhelm him. A glance at his bedside clock showed it was nearly 2am, and his phone sat dark on his desk. If he was being honest with himself, Dowoon would admit that he was waiting for any message at all from Younghyun, to explain what happened. Given the late hour though, the other boy was probably asleep, yet a stubborn part of him refused to give up hope.

A _thunk_ sounded as something small and hard hit the window. Dowoon ignored the noise, thinking it was a stray animal or a drunkard, but when the sound persisted, he sighed and got up to check. He pulled open his blinds, squinting against the sudden flood of street lights to see the perpetrator, only to find a boy in a leather jacket throwing small rocks from his backyard.

“Stop that!” he opened the window to hiss. “You’ll wake my father up.”

Quickly, he closed the window and blinds again, pulling on a jacket and running out his house in a rush.

“Why are you here? And how did you get into my backyard?” Dowoon demanded.

“To apologize. And I climbed the fence, it isn’t that high,” Younghyun answered, taking his hands like he did on the night he asked him out to warm them.

“So explain,” Dowoon huffed out, trying to keep his teeth from chattering. “I’m listening.”

“That girl - Kyeon Inhye - she’s the one Sungjin currently has a crush on. She tried to ask me out, and didn’t take it too well when I told her I already had a boyfriend. I’m sorry it took me so long to get here. I got home late and got grounded by my parents. I had to sneak out,” Younghyun told him apologetically.

Dowoon shrugged at his explanation, as if he hadn’t been affected at all by what happened. “I knew you’d say that. There was no reason you’d want anyone else, when you have me. Just mad that she dared touch my boyfriend without permission, that’s all,” he said, avoiding Younghyun’s gaze so he wouldn’t see how red his eyes were.

“Ha, my confidence is rubbing off on you. You’re right, of course. I don’t want anyone else in the world because I have you. I just wanted to make sure - hey, were you crying?”

Dowoon cursed Younghyun with all his heart. “No,” he mumbled.

“Aww, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you worry.” Younghyun pulled Dowoon close for a hug, letting him rest his chin on his boyfriend’s shoulder and inhale that faint mix of smoke and cologne that he’d started to take comfort in.

Dowoon holds him tighter as he mumbled, “I was scared that you left me.”

“Hey. Hey, look at me.” Younghyun pulls back to cup his face in both his hands, holding him like he was the most precious thing in the world. “I’m sorry I made you worry, but I promise you I will never leave you. I don’t know what happened that made you think I would, but I won’t.”

This made Dowoon smile slightly. “That’s promising a lot.”

Younghyun rolled his eyes. “I said I would never leave you, not that I’d be a perfect boyfriend - shocker, I know. I’ll be perfect _for_ you though, that’s for sure.”

And Dowoon believed it; he heard sincerity in Younghyun’s cheesy words, and unable to cope with the sudden blossoming warmth he felt, he smacked Younghyun’s chest instead.

“Sap,” he grumbled, hoping he could pass his blush off as a result of the cold.

“You love me,” Younghyun retorted, grinning, as he pulled Dowoon up for a kiss.

_Yeah, I really do._

**Author's Note:**

> Once again, happy birthday sweetie! I hope you liked it, since you practically bullied me into writing this xD Thank you all my lovelies for reading, and I hope you guys have an awesome day/night!!
> 
> ~ starjay


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